Combined folding tadle and articlecarrying apparatus



March 30, 1954 P. A. DI PRIMA COMBINED FOLDING TABLE AND ARTICLE-CARRYING APPARATUS Filed July 13', 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l HTTOENE' I" Mar h 30, 1954 P. A. DI PRIMA COMBINED FOLDING TABLE AND ARTICLE-CARRYING APPARATUS Filed July 13, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR. firth 4 1Q Jifizma B $6M M H TTORNE Y Patented Mar. 30, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COMBINED FOLDING TABLE AND ARTICLE- CARRYING APPARATUS Philip A. Di Prima, Mount Vernon, N. Y.

Application July 18, 1951, Serial No. 236,611

4 Claims. "3,

This invention relates to an improved type of folding table and particularly to a folding table and article-carrying device which is readily portable and which may be easily folded and unfolded.

The apparatus may be adapted for uses, such as carrying and serving foodstuffs in a hospital, at picnics and beaches and carrying articles of clothing.

An important object of the invention is to provide a folding table which will fold into a compact and portable unit and which may be readily unfolded and set up for use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a foldable table of improved stability.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a foldable table which, when in the folded position, is maintained against accidental opening by the handle means which are provided to carry the table.

The invention includes a folding table having at least two parts which may be of substantially flat configuration and which are adapted to form a coplanar surface, the two parts being connected to each other along adjacent edges by hinge means for permitting the planar surfaces of each to be disposed in coplanar relationship, and, alternatively, to be disposed in faee-to-face juxtaposition. Each of the parts, which form the coplanar surface which may be utilized as the table surface, is provided with at least one folding support which may be disposed in hinged engagement on the underside of said part and is adapted to be pivoted so that it may be positioned at an angle substantially 90 from the coplanar surface when the two parts are in the unfolded position. Alternatively, the supports may be folded into substantially parallel relationship to the underside of the parts when said parts are in the face-to-face juxtaposition, to form a compact unit.

The invention includes the improvement of providing braces of metal, wood or plastic, one end of each brace being pivotally mounted on the underside of each part adjacent the common hinge line thereof and extending to and being pivotally mounted at its other and adjacent the ends of the supports remote from their hinged connection with the said parts, the braces being centrally hinged so as to be foldable. In combination with the brace means are means which maintain the folded table in the collapsed position when the latter is being carried. The means for maintaining the braces and supports in the collapsed position include handle means consisting of flexible members, at least one end of each flexible handle member being attached adjacent to the central hinge of each of the braces, the handle means also including means spaced apart on the underside of each part and adapted to receive the portions of rope between the ends thereof in freely sliding engagement, whereby pulling on the flexible handles causes the ends of each handle attached to the central hinges of the braces to collapse the braces by urging the central hinges of the braces toward the hinged connection for the support, and means for releasably maintaining the two parts in coplanar relationship.

The invention also contemplates the positioning of compartments of a type suitable to contain food or other articles and disposed on the folding supports with the opening to said containers being adjacent the hinged engagement of the supports with the underside of each of the parts forming the table surface.

For a more complete description of the invention, reference is made to the drawings wherein:

Fig. l is a plan view of one form of apparatus embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is vertical sectional view taken along the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a folding support for the apparatus;

Fig. 4 is a side view of the apparatus in folded position;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the underside of an alternate form of apparatus embodying the invention; and

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the alternate form in the folded position.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4 the surface of the table is constituted by the two substantially flat portions or parts l0 which may be made of wood, metal or other suitable material which is substantially rigid and of light weight and can be formed in relatively thin sheets or boards, as indicated in the drawings.

The portions I 0 are connected to each other along adjacent edges H by hinged means l2 which permit the two portions l0 to be pivotally moved with respect to each other so that they may constitute a substantially coplanar surface, as indicated in Figs. 1 and'2, or may be moved into substantially parallel relationship, as indicated in Fig. 4. It may be desirable to position the pivot or the pintle of the hinge means adjacent the upper surfaces of the two portions [0 so that the lower edges I3 of said portions abut each other when the two portions are moved into the substantially coplanar relation and restrict further upward movement of the hinged edges I l.

Supporting means for the table surface are provided to maintain the surface at the desired level which, in the case of a beach or bed table, may be between 12 and 18 inches, or, in the case of a picnic table, somewhat higher. The supporting means 15 may include vertical members I6 and a horizontal member i! adjacent the lower end of the supporting means. The vertical members 16 may be pivotally connected by hinges i8 to the underside 20 of each part H at the end 2| of said part, i. e. the end remote from the hinged connection 2 with the other part Hi. The hinge I8 is connected to the inner side 22 of the vertical supporting leg members it so that the supporting members and the undersides 20 of the members it may be disposed substantially parallel and adjacent to each other in the folded position.

Suitable bracing means are provided, such as the braces 23 which may be made of any suitably rigid material such as metal, wood or plastic. The brace for each supporting means I is pivotally connected at one end 24 to the underside of the part 10 adjacent the hinged connection l2 and extends downwardly and is pivotally connected at the other end 29 to the horizontal member I! fixed at the lower end of the vertical supporting means IS. with a central hinge [9 to permit the brace to fold.

Handle means 25 are provided on each of the parts to and consist of flexible members made of suitable material, such as rope, or woven tape. Portions of each handle means pass through channels 26 in brackets 30 on the underside 20 of each part l0, and the ends 28 of the handle means are attached to the brace 23 adjacent to the central hinge l9 thereof. The channels 28 are sufliciently large so that the handle means may slide freely through the brackets 3%).

Suitable means are provided for maintaining the parts ill in the coplanar relationship shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Such means may be of any desired type and for purposes of illustration herein, u-shaped channel members 3| are mounted on the sides 32 of one part It), the arms of the U-shaped channel member extending over the upper surface of the member iii and of the under surface 20 of the member ID a short distance from the edge 32 of said member. The member 32 is provided with a slot 33 extending parallel to the side 32 of the member if) and is adapted to receive a pin 35 fixed in the upper surface of the portion iii and extending upwardly into the slot 33 to permit each member 3| to be slidably moved along the edge 32 from the position shown in the lower portion of Fig. 1 to the position shown in the upper portion of Fig. 1. It will be understood that when the parts ID are in the coplanar relationship shown in Fig. 2, and the channel members 3! are slidably moved from the right to the left, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the channel members will engage the upper and lower surfaces of the portions I!) along their edges 32 in the area of the hinge joint between the members iii, thereby maintaining the members ill in the substan tially coplanar relationship and providing a suitably rigid table surface for the uses desired.

Containers 36 in the form of extensible bags of pliable material, such as canvas, leather, plastic, woven fabric and the like, may be fixedly or removably positioned on each of the support- Each brace is provided ing means [5 and, as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, are disposed between the vertical members Hi, the vertical members extending through lower openings 31 and emerging through openings J8 adjacent the top of the containers. Suitable means may be provided for attaching the containers to the vertical supporting members 40, for example, as shown in Fig. 3, the containers being attached to the vertical supporting members I6 by rivets 40 passing through the tabs M. The containers 36 are formed with openings 42 adjacent the upper end of the members Id. The open ends may be suitably covered by flap members 43.

The containers 36 may be of suflicient size to receive thermos bottles, and food packages, and if desired the containers may be provided with suitable heat insulating material to maintain articles therein at the desired temperature. In the event the containers are provided with heat insulation, the flap members should be arranged to provide a substantially air-tight closure of the openings 42. In addition, it may be desirable to provide a waterproof lining so that wet articles can be carried therein.

In the folded position, as shown in Fig. 4, the supporting members :5 and the top members H) are all in substantially parallel relationship to each other with the supporting members diverging outwardly from their upper ends, to give the folded table stability when it is positioned on the floor or other surface. The containers 36 may be opened by lifting the flaps 43 and extending the container opening 42. There after, food packages and liquid containers, beach equipment or any other articles which are to be carried, may be placed in the containers. The flaps may then be returned to the position shown in Fig. 4, and the locking strap 45, which is fixedly connected at 46 to the underside of one member [0, is passed over the outer ends 2! of each of the members In and fastened by a snap fastener 41 or other suitable fastening device to the underside of the other part [0. Thereafter, the table and combined article carrier may be easily transported by means of the rope handles 25 which present loop portions at the upper end of the folded device, as indicated in Fig. 4. The person carrying the device may readily grasp both rope handles for carrying purposes.

When it is desired to unfold the table, the fastening device 41 is released and the ends 21 of the portions ID are moved away from each other, the hinged sides of the members I0 are moved upwardly into coplanar relationship by the operator pressing from the underside. The channel bars 3! are moved from their position on one member lfl into the position shown in Fig. 2 so that the members in are maintained in the coplanar relationship. The ends I! of the supporting members l5 are then moved into the position shown in Fig. 2, the supporting members [5 being disposed at substantially right angles to the coplanar parts [0. In this position the bracing means 23 have unfolded and are substantially rigid. Standard locking means for maintaining the braces in the rigid position may be provided.

It will be noted that whether the device is in the folded position shown in Fig. 4, or whether it is in the open position as shown in Fig. 2, or in any intermediate position, the containers 3 6 are disposed substantially upright with the open: ings 42 being uppermost during all such phases of operation.'

In order-to close or fold the table and articlecarrying device, the channel members 3| are moved from left to right, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, so that they no longer bridge the two members In; thereafter, it is only necessary to grasp the loops of the two handle members 25 so that the ends 2| of the table move upwardly into position adjacent to each other and the supporting means are folded so that the members H are adjacent the hinges I2 of the portions It. The ends 28 of the handles 25 attached to central hinge parts IQ of the braces 23 draw the central portions of the braces upwardly toward the h nges l8 and cause the members I! to be moved toward the hinges l2. Furthermore, while the device is being carried, the continued tension on the handles 25 maintains the braces 23 in the folded position and thereby prevents the accidental unfolding of the supporting members I5.

Although the ends ll of the supporting members move into position adjacent the hinges l2, the containers disposed in the supporting members l5 are not apt to become horizontally disposed because the lifting force on the folded table is from points adjacent the edges 2| so that in operation the table folds downwardly rather than the ends of the supporting members folding upwardly. It is this feature which prevents the containers from being incorrectly tilted or displaced out of vertical position.

Figs. 5 and 6 indicate an alternative form of the invention wherein the planar table surface 50 is formed of the flat members 5| which are hinged along their adjacent sides 52. The means for giving the planar surface rigidity in the form illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 includes a member pivotally connected at 53 to the underside of one of the members 5| and having a tubular member 55 in which is rotatably mounted a supporting frame having an intermediate portion 54 enclosed in the tubular member 55 and parallel arms 55 extending at right angles to the intermediate portion and the tubular member 55. When the table is to be supported in the open position, the tubular portion 55 is pivoted from the dash line position shown in Fig. 5 to the solid line position shown therein and the arms 56 are rotated approximately 90 to bring the foot portions 5'! of the parallel arms 56 into contact with the fioor or other supporting surface.

The supporting means adjacent the ends 58 of the members 5| may be suitably formed of wire having parallel, vertical portions 6!] and a lower horizontal portion 6| connecting the lower ends of the vertical portions 60, and an upper horizontal portion 62 connected to the upper ends of the vertical portions 55 by the horizontal portions 63. The upper horizontal portion 62 may be suitably pivotally mounted in the bracket. member 65 which is fixed to the under surface giving additional lateral support to the table in,

the unfolded position shown in Fig. 5. The

6 handle means in this form may be a rope member 68 with the ends 69 thereof being connected to the vertical members and with portions of the rope members passing through openings in brackets 7|.

As the apparatus is folded from the position shown in Fig. 5 to that shown in Fig. 6, the vertical members 60 of the supporting means are caused to move into position parallel and adjacent to the undersides of the members 5|, as the operator pulls upon the portions of the rope members 68 between the brackets H.

It will be appreciated from the foregoing description that the invention fulfills all the objects and advantages set forth above, and provides a compact, foldable table which may be used in conjunction with the article containers fixed therein to form a novel combination wherein the article containers are at all times disposed in the vertical, upright position so that articles contained therein do not become disarranged and particularly so that liquids carried in the containers are not subject to spillage resulting from the containers being tilted out of vertical position, and which provides carrying means for the foldable table and the article carriers which assures that the table will not become unfolded or the containers tilted while being transported.

According to the patent statutes, I have herein described the principle of my invention, together with the best forms in which it is presently considered to carry out the invention. However, it will be understood that the invention may be carried out in other forms without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A folding table with at least two parts hav-- ing planar surfaces connected to each other along one end of each by hinge means for permitting the planar surfaces to be disposed in coplanar relationship in the unfolded position and to be disposed in face-to-face juxtaposition in the folded condition, at least one folding support is disposed in pivotal engagement with the underside of each of the two said parts to be positioned at an angle substantially at right angles to the aforesaid coplanar surface in the unfolded position and in substantially parallel position to the underside of said parts when said parts are in the folded face-to-face relationship, braces each of which is pivotally mounted at one end to the underside of one part adjacent the hinge means and pivotally mounted at its other end adjacent the end of one support remote from the pivotal connection with the one art, each brace being provided with a central hinge so that it may be folded, handle means including flexible portions slidably mounted on the said parts adjacent the ends above the supports, at least one end of each handle means being connected to the brace adjacent its central hinge.

2. A folding table with at least two parts having planar surfaces connected to each other along one end of each by hinge means for permitting the two parts to be disposed in coplanar relationship in the unfolded position and to be disposed in face-to-face juxtaposition in the folded position, at least one folding support disposed in hinged engagement with the underside of each of the two parts at a second end of each remote from the ends in hinged engagement, said folding supports to be positioned at substantially right angles to the parts when they are in the unfolded position and substantially parallel to the underside of said parts when the latter are in the folded position, braces, each of which is, pivotally mounted at one end to the underside of one part adjacent to said first mentioned end thereof and the other end of each brace being pivotally mounted adjacent the end of the support, remote from the hinged connection of the support with its respective part, each brace being provided with a central hinge so that it may be folded, handle means, two portions of which are slidably mounted in brackets on the said parts adjacent the second ends thereof, the two ends of each handle means being connected to one of the braces adjacent to its central hinge.

3. A folding table with at least two parts having planar surfaces connected to each other along one end of each by hinged means for permitting the planar surfaces to be disposed in coplanar relationship in unfolded position and to be disposed with the upper faces of the two parts in face to face juxtaposition in folded position, supporting means including at least one folding support disposed in pivotal engagement with the underside of each of the two parts, the folding support member being positioned at substantially right angles to the aforesaid coplanar surface in the unfolded position and in substantially parallel position to the underside of said part when the parts are in the folded position, and said supporting means also including braces for maintaining each folding support member in the right angular position in the unfolded position and handle means having at least one end connected to said supporting means for maintaining the supporting means in the folded position.

4. The table of claim 2 with releasable locking means for maintaining the said two parts in coplanar relationship in the unfolded position.

PHILIP A. DI PRIMA.

References Cited in the file Of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 195,325 Bailey Sept. 18, 1877 853,923 Conwell Dec. 7, 1886 1,807,589 Edmunds June 2, 1931 1,840,492 Duggan Jan. 12, 1 32 2,321,328 Stack June 8, 1943 2,326,461 Howe Aug. 10, 1943 2,406,237 Milkofi Aug. 20, 1946 2,545,064 Alch Mar. 13, 1951 

